Moody's Mood for Love
by Romance Novel
Summary: Quinn needed to collect her thoughts and ended up spending a few moments with a certain someone for her old life.


Title: Moody's Mood for Love  
Rating: G  
Setting: The fall after everyone's graduation. Their first quarter of college.  
Pairing: Quinn/Matt with mentions of Quinn/Finn  
Disclaimer: I don' t own Glee or the characters in this story. I do not own the song Moody's Mood for Love by Brian McKnight, Take 6, and Patti Wright or any of their lyrics.  
Summary: Quinn needed to collect her thoughts and ended up spending a few moments with a certain someone for her old life.

Quinn Fabray was taking a break.

She always had the bulk of her classes today and she just needed to collect her thoughts before she picked up Madison from Mrs. Lewis' house. Mrs. Lewis was the only person who seemed vulnerable at the sight of a single mother trying to juggle her first year of college. It's nice to know not there was still some compassion in this world.

The eighteen year old blonde opened the door to the comforting diner that Lima was known for. As long as she could remember, she had came to this exact diner with her parents every Friday night. It was the one night that they all had free, work for her parents and Cheerio practice which turned into just Glee club rehearsal for Quinn. Maybe the reason she decided to come here for her break.

It hadn't changed much. There were still the usual customers looking for shelter and a warm meal during the night. The waiters still had those same permanent yet genuine smiles plastered on their faces as they attended to the customers. In the corner, the jukebox was still there blasting soft romantic music to sway too. As of now, no one was dancing, but as it got darker they definitely would.

Quinn chose a booth next to the jukebox. It was her favorite spot in the entire diner. Seven year old Quinn used to sit right in front of the jukebox listening to the music before her mother scolded her to sit down in her seat and act like a lady. Oh, how little times have changed.

As she slipped off her scarf and coat, placing it on the cushion next to her, a perky waitress came over and asked her if she was ready to order. "Umm, I'll just have a coffee. Black please." She replied, tucking her hair behind her ear. The waitress nodded and walked off. Quinn sighed and finally looked forward to the person sitting in the booth across from her. He looked eerily familiar but his face was down as he ate what appeared to be apple pie. Well, he was before he felt her eyes on him and looked up. Her first instinct was to look away but then she recognized him instantly.

Matt Rutherford.

"Hi." She said, laughing a little at the irony of them both being at the diner at the same time. Especially almost a year after graduating from McKinley and parting ways with all of her friends. She didn't have time to socialize with community college, work, and Madison. Either way she got up out the booth the same time as Matt and walked over to him.

"Quinn Fabray." He said, grinning. He pulled her into a small hug and rubbed her back. Once upon a time they were quite good friends, as all Cheerios and football players were. Then being in the Glee club definitely made them closer, but she got pregnant and didn't have time for friends. After Kurt's Glee Club Farwell party after graduation, they all drifted. "How are you?" He said, letting go of her finally. "I haven't seen you since…what was it? Kurt's farewell party thing?" That made Quinn smile. Great minds think alike.

She nodded. "Yeah, I was just thinking about that." She said laughing again. "I'm okay. Just taking a small break from it all before I go back into it actually."

"I know the feeling." He said, nodding. He paused for a minute. "How's Madison? Is she in Kindergarten yet?" He said, fully interested.

"She's good, not in school yet, but we're getting there." She said nodding. "I've been preoccupied, well not preoccupied. That sounds horrible –"

"Hey, it's cool. I don't judge." Matt intercepted, which made her look him in the eyes. "I'm sure you're doing the best you can." He said, giving her a small smile. She smiled subconsciously and just stared into his comforting eyes for a while until she heard someone approach.

Her waitress smiled awkwardly and set down Quinn's coffee. "Sorry, here's your coffee." She said, before sneaking off. Quinn smiled at her and then looked at Matt. She wanted to keep talking to him, but –

"Want some company?" He said, walking over to his booth and grabbing his pie and jacket. He slipped into the booth and looked up at her. "Unless you were waiting for someone?" He added, picking up his pie.

She laughed, the third time today which was a record, and shook her head as she slipped into the booth on the opposite side. "No, it's just me." She said, stirring her coffee although she hadn't added anything to it yet. She looked up at him, watching him resume eating his pie for a few moments, before speaking. "So, what brings you to Lima? Visiting family?"

He nodded. "Yeah, my little brother had his first major mini-league game and I don't have classes on Fridays so I decided, why not?" He laughed a little.

She raised her eyebrows, a slight smile forming. "That was nice of you." She stated, taking a small sip of her coffee.

He shrugged. "I'm a nice guy." He said simply. Another silence fell as she just looked at him. Since when did he get so sure of himself and confident? Not that he was insecure in high school, she didn't pay attention to him enough to know, but now he just seemed so much more secure and it was…attractive? "So, where is Madison? With your parents, or…your boyfriend?" He asked casually, not even seemingly aware of how much flirtiness oozed out of that question. She almost choked on her coffee, but caught herself. Pull yourself together Fabray; you haven't been out the dating scene that long, have you? She knew the answer to that was yes, her last boyfriend being Finn but that ended devastatingly.

"Actually, she's with my neighbor." She said, collecting herself. "And I don't have a boyfriend. Not since Finn." She said, the last part coming out sadly. "What about you? Who's the lucky lady?" She teased, grinning.

He chuckled. "Single too." He said, nodding. "I tried playing the field when I first got to college, but it just didn't work out. If I want someone, they have to be someone I can see myself with on a long term basis." He said, very sure of the words coming out of his mouth. She envied his confidence and remembered a time when she was confident to the point where she knew nothing could bring her down, until it did. Not that she didn't love Madison, she loved her more than anything, but she just wished that she could've handled everything differently. Oh well, no going back.

_There I go, there I go, there I go, there I go  
Pretty baby you are the soul who snaps my control_

Matt's eyes lit up as soon as the song on the jukebox changed to a somewhat jazzy song. "Come on, I love this song." He said, setting his fork down and getting out of the booth. She just watched him in surprise. She had no idea what song this was, but that was any song that came out of that jukebox. She just liked to listen to the music flow out of it like butter.

_It's a funny thing but every time I'm near you  
I never can behave_

The former Cheerio slipped out of the booth and stood up, walking over to Matt. He instantly took her hands and placed them around his shoulders. His arms went to her waist and he started swaying. As they swayed, he mouthed along to the song, making her laugh for a fourth time.

_It's a funny thing but everytime I'm near you I never can behave  
You give me a smile and I'm wrapped up in your magic  
Music all around me, crazy music, music that keeps calling me so_

"Despite what my future wife thinks, this is going to be my wedding song. " He stated as they slow danced. "At first she might be hesitant, but once I serenade her with it I'm positive she'll love it."

_Baby close to you, turns me into your slave, come on  
Come and do with me any little thing that you want to  
Anything, baby just let me get next to you_

She smirked. "Oh yeah? How are you so positive about that? Maybe she has her own song planned out. Girls think about this stuff way before they get engaged, you know." She took a hand off his shoulder, and flipped her hair back a little.

_Am I insane or do I really see heaven in your eyes  
Bright as stars that shine up above you  
In the clear __blue sky_

He shrugged a little, but stayed quiet for awhile as if processing this. "Well, what's your song?" He said, looking at her. This caught her off guard. She wasn't expecting him to ask her that for whatever reason.

_How I worry bout you  
Just can't live my life without you  
Baby come here, don't have no fear  
Oh, is there wonder why_

"I don't have one." She finally said. Sure, she probably had every single aspect of her future wedding with Finn picked out in her freshman year, but those plans didn't exactly play out. She didn't have time to dream anymore, it was all about reality.

_I'm really feeling in the mood for love  
So tell me why, stop to think about this __weather__, my dear  
This little dream might fade away_

He grinned. "Then I guess your theory doesn't apply now, does it Ms. Fabray?" She laughed and hit him lightly on his shoulder, which caused him to laugh. She rested her head on his chest momentarily as she tried to get the smile off her face. It hadn't went away since they started dancing. She lifted her head up and looked at him as he started mouthing the words to her once again. This time she listened to the lyrics.

_There I go talking out of my head again so baby won't you  
Come and put our two hearts together  
That would make me strong and brave  
Oh, when we are one, I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid_

_If there's a cloud up above us  
Go on and let in rain  
I'm sure our love together would endure a hurricane  
Oh my baby  
Won't you please let me love you and get a release from this awful misery_

Suddenly, a woman's voice appeared in the song. Quinn rose her eyebrows momentarily. She wasn't aware that this was a duet. This whole time it had been a guy, Brian McKnight to be exact as she would find out when she got home and looked up the song. Matt had stopped singing and just stared at her. She smiled as the woman sang words she was feeling herself.

_What is all this talk about loving me, my sweet  
I am not afraid, not anymore, not like before  
Don't you understand me, oh baby please  
Pull yourself together, got to do it very soon  
My heart's on fire, come on and take  
I'll be what you make me, my darling_

And just like that, the woman's voice disappeared as a chorus chimed in as the song continued to its end. Quinn and Matt just swayed together, almost molding into one for a few moments. When it was over, Quinn kept her head on his chest until he stopped swaying. She opened her eyes, which she didn't realize were closed and then looked up at him. He was smiling.

"If someone had told me I would ever get the chance to dance with Quinn Fabray I wouldn't have believed them." He said honestly. She laughed and tucked a hair behind her ear.

She shook her head. "I'm hardly the same Quinn I was in high school, or even my sophomore year. Ever since then, I had to grow up fast." She said, thinking back on the past couple of years.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing. I was referring to after sophomore year by the way." He added. "You were more independent."

"I had to. After Finn dumped me, his mom still wanted me to stay but I just couldn't do it. I just felt too…ashamed at myself." She said, starting to tear up. He reached his hand up and wiped her eyes.

"It's okay. We don't have to talk about it." He said, with a tad bit of pity in his voice.

She took her hands off his shoulders. "Sorry." She scratched the back of her head a little and looked over at their booth. Her coffee was probably freezing by now. Matt followed her gaze and nodded. "I have to go pick up Maddie in a couple of minutes." She said as she checked her watch. Mentally, she was beating herself up for ruining whatever moment they had a few minutes ago. Stupid move bringing up Finn.

He just nodded and went over to the booth, pulling out his wallet. "Coffee's on me." He said, placing some dollar bills on the table. She smiled softly and picked up her coat and scarf. She pulled it on and wrapped her scarf around her before grabbing her purse. He slipped on his jacket and then waited for her to start heading for the door. She smiled when he opened the door and then stepped out into the chilly Ohio night. She held her coat collars up more and then turned to face him as he closed the door.

"Thanks for paying for my coffee. You didn't have to." She said, ignoring how she would see clouds of air pop out as she spoke.

He laughed and shrugged a little. "It was the least I could do after you let me dance with you." She laughed and looked away briefly before looking back at him. "It was nice seeing you."

She nodded. "You too. Don't be a stranger." She added, smiling. He smiled too and then took a step closer to her. She felt her heart stop momentarily. He lifted her chin up with his fingers and gave her a small kiss. When he pulled away, she reached her hands up to the sides of his face and pulled him back in for another. The second one was soft and sweet. She pulled away, biting her lip, and took her hands off his face before looking at him. He rose his eyebrows slightly and then let out a laugh. She laughed as well.

He calmed down and stared at her before speaking. "Moody's Mood for Love." He said simply. She made a small face at that. "The song. It's called Moody's Mood for Love." He said, before backing up slowly. "It can be your song too." He added, before turning around and walking down the street. She held her hand up to her lips briefly before just watching him. Who would've known when she thought to take a break from reality for a few seconds, she would get swept off her feet by a familiar face?


End file.
